Publications Archive

Stories about the Milwaukee County Zoo and its animals are told through Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) publications. For a 60-year history of ZSM publications, click here. Then delve into ZSM archives* to see individual publications from the past. The following ZSM publications are available to view or download: Annual Report, Alive, Wild Things, Animal Talk, Milwaukee Zoo News. Also available are Alive magazine’s What’s Gnu stories about new animals at the Zoo in the last few years (see Alive below).

This full-color member magazine features stories on animal
conservation throughout the world, animals and exhibits at the Milwaukee County
Zoo, and the Zoological Society’s extensive education programs that teach about
animals and the environment. There are also children’s activities, people
profiles and photography layouts. The magazine is published in January, April
and October. What’s
Gnu is a section with stories and photos of new arrivals or animal births at
the Zoo.

This full-color member newsletter keeps you up to date about
coming events, animal news at the Milwaukee County Zoo, volunteer
opportunities, field trips and animal sponsorships. Wild Things is published six times a year.

Platy Press is the newsletter of the Platypus Circle, the premier giving and membership group of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Platypus Circle members include individuals, businesses and foundations who can elect to receive special benefits for their contributions that support the Zoo and Zoological Society’s conservation and education programs. For information on membership opportunities, please call the Development Office, (414) 258-2333, ext. 310.

The
first issue of Milwaukee Zoo News was
May 1951, just in time to promote the official summer opening of the Milwaukee
County Zoo (still the Washington Park Zoo at that time), which was June 17.
Back then the Zoo was not open all year, as it is now. It was open to the
public only during the warm weather season.
Milwaukee Zoo News was created and published by the Zoological Society for
its members. The newsletter was an 8 ½-by-11-inch, glossy paper,
black-and-white publication of four pages. It featured lots of news about new
animals at the Zoo plus a few photos. Our archives are missing several issues
of this newsletter. If you have copies of any missing issues, please mail them
directly to Publications, Zoological Society of Milwaukee, 10005 W. Blue Mound
Rd., Milwaukee, Wis. 53226. (In that first issue of Milwaukee Zoo News, a small notice said that the predecessor to Milwaukee Zoo News was a mimeographed
news sheet. In the Zoo archives, we found only a few copies of these early
publications.)

The
successor to Milwaukee Zoo News was Animal Talk. This chatty, fun-to-read
little newsletter was started and written by Walter
Kroening, the first executive director of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. His
was an unpaid position, and he devoted many hours to the Zoological Society and
to promoting the Zoo. Kroening had a stroke in September 1980 and died Feb. 5,
1981. So there was a gap in publications during that time. Carol Moore Waite
became Zoological Society executive director Feb. 1, 1981, just days before
Kroening died. Waite also took over the publication.